The present invention relates to walk-behind mowers and more particularly relates to a mechanism and a method for converting either a three fixed wheel or a fixed four wheel walk-behind mower into a more maneuverable mower having at least one caster wheel.
It is common practice to provide walk-behind mowers with four fixed wheels and also to provide some walk-behind mowers with two fixed and two caster wheels. It is also known to provide some walk-behind mowers with three fixed wheels and also to provide some three wheeled walk-behind mowers with two fixed and one caster wheel. It is well known that these wheel configurations each have their advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, if one has requirements for both types of walk-behind wheel constructions, one normally must purchase two separate mowers, i.e. one with all fixed wheels and one with two fixed and at least one caster wheel.
Examples of prior fixed wheel mowers include U.S. Pat. No. 4,224,785 which is representative of hundreds of patents illustrating the four fixed wheel construction.
Utilization of caster wheels on walk-behind mowers is well known as can be seen from the following list of seventeen (17) patents:
______________________________________ 4,020,619 Massaro 3,924,389 Kita 3,782,085 Parker et al. 3,690,047 Thoen et al. 3,411,276 Buigne 3,367,459 Rubin 3,196,971 Schantz 3,152,431 Ott et al. 3,032,957 Boyer 3,012,389 Jacobs 2,898,723 Goodall 2,707,858 Norton et al. 2,651,530 Blydenburgh 2,529,870 Golasky 2,505,377 Barker et al. 2,489,730 Soenksen ______________________________________
Recent caster wheel constructions include the use of caster wheels as the front wheels in remotely controlled self-propelled power lawn mowers as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,266 to Max Taube. However, in this construction, the single front caster wheel is connected to a steering mechanism thereby losing its pure caster wheel function.
While all of the above patents disclose walk-behind mowers having caster wheels, none appears to provide a mechanism and a method which allows for the conversion of the fixed wheel to a caster wheel and vice versa.
Thus, there is a need for a mechanism and a method for converting a four fixed wheel walk-behind mower into a two fixed and two caster wheel walk-behind mower; which can be installed to convert the mower in a relatively short time; which provides mower cut height adjustment with the conversion mechanism attached; which increases the maneuverability of the mower with the conversion mechanism attached; which prevents turf scuffing when turning the mower with the conversion mechanism attached and; which provides for trimming under shrubs and trees and other maneuvers without raising the front of the deck with the conversion mechanism attached.